Our Mission.

American culture has evolved in such a way that our national musical heritage, the uniquely American art form of jazz, has been relegated to the sidelines. We want to help change that. From education to outreach, from promotion to performance, we want to cultivate a new and informed audience for America’s most original art form.

Lighthouse Arts, Inc. was established to improve the quality of jazz education by making accessible the opportunities for students and the community at large to learn and experience the many dimensions of jazz music and the creative artists who play it. We shall incorporate partnerships with the community, schools and arts organizations that will recapture, teach and preserve the music’s history and culture, in an accessible environment that promotes awareness and appreciation.​Lighthouse Arts, Inc.differentiates itself from other small and large jazz organizations by focusing on the artist. Our mission is to acknowledge, celebrate, document and support those individuals who creatively represent jazz by utilizing broadcast and print media along with concerts that shall be held in the areas best performance venues. Our founders represent a cross-section of the region’s jazz, education, and business leaders.

Our Team

Harry D. Clark, Ph.D.​Co-President

Dr. Harry D. Clark is a retired administrator from the Pittsburgh Public Schools after 30 years of service. He was instrumental in founding the Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, the first public arts high school in western Pennsylvania, where he served as principal. Dr. Clark has served as president of the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools, a professional arts advocacy organization with membership from schools across the United States and Canada as well as schools in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and Chile.​He has served as National Director of Academic Relations for Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts, a post-secondary recording and film center in Orlando, Florida. He also was Educational Consultant and Senior Advisor for P.M.I. (Production Masters, Inc.) in Pittsburgh on a project titled “Uncommon Beauty in Common Objects”, a focus on African art and its influence in our society. The project toured nationally and culminated its exhibition at the Renwick Galleries, Washington, D.C.

He has consulted for schools in various cities such as Kansas City, San Diego, Gary, Washington, D.C., Denver and Boston. Additional consulting experiences include: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; The Council of Chief State School Officers; The U.S. Department of Education’s Special Projects Committee; and, The American Council for the Arts. Dr. Clark has served as a consultant for the late stage, film and television actor, Raymond Burr. He also consulted for entertainer, movie, television, film and recording artist, Ben Vereen.Dr. Clark has helped initiate new school Arts programs in Virginia, Kansas, Michigan, Alabama and Colorado. He served as the Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides an education program for first time home buyers of low to moderate income. He successfully acquired funding to initiate an educational program that partnered Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. with the Andy Warhol Museum. The partnership supports a program he initiated titled, “Youth Technology Program”, serving inner-city students in computer training as well as other social skills. He recently served as Field Observer for Indiana University of Pennsylvania in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Governor’s office, researching the implementation/development of computer technology in public schools via the “Link-2-Learn” program. He formerly served as director of the Black Achievers Program at the Sewickley Valley YMCA; an adjunct professor at LaRoche College in 1999, and as field project advisor for the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts. He presently serves as a member of the board of Directors of Bridgeway Capital, a community loan fund for southwestern Pennsylvania; an advisor to the African American Jazz Preservation Society of Pittsburgh (AAJPSP); a board member of Kente Arts Alliance and co-president of the newly formed Lighthouse, Inc. (A Beacon for America’s Original Art Form)In May of 2000, Dr. Clark received the Distinguished Service Award from Magnet Schools of America in recognition of his Service as a Magnet School consultant and for initiating and developing new school programs in several cities across the country.​He earned his bachelor of science degree in music education in 1962 and his masters in music education in 1965 from Duquesne University, where he was inducted into the Century Club of Outstanding Alumni in 1993.His Ph.D. in education, was awarded in 1977 from the University of Pittsburgh where he has also served for over 30 years as a member of the University of Pittsburgh’s Jazz Seminar Committee. From 2002 to 2005, Dr. Clark served as Admissions and Alumni Affairs Officer at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Inc. He was a visiting consultant with the IBE (International Bureau of Education) in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute and UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization.) In 2010, Dr. Clark was awarded the Rob Penny Lifetime Achievement Award by (AACTA) the African American Council of the Arts. He has recently been awarded the 2012 North Hills Distinguished Alumni Award.

George Edward HeidCo-President

George Edward Heid grew up with the music experiences surrounding his Father's recording studio as well as his family’s musical world. He began playing piano at an early age. Switching to Drums in High School, he went on to play drums with many of Pittsburgh's Jazz greats such as his brother Bill Heid, David Budway, Dwayne Dolphin, Gene Ludwig, Lou Stellute, Sonny Barbato, Dr. Mike Taylor, and Jimmy Ponder.

In the spring of 1970, George opened a small music shop in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. The shop offered music lessons and sold musical instruments. George continued the recording business by offering on-location recording. Heid Productions would record and produce many LP records for local groups, church choirs, junior high, high school and college music ensembles.He closed the music shop in 1977 to focus exclusively on recording, production, cassette duplication and pro audio sales. From early 1970 George introduced many clients to the growing popularity of the compact cassette. He built the areas only premium specification, highest quality duplication facility between Philadelphia and Nashville. Heid’s output of fully packaged audio cassettes rose to an average of over 2000 cassette tapes a day.

Out of the music shop, Heid Pro Audio began in 1971 and grew into, an award winning professional audio business that specified, sold, installed, and serviced pro audio equipment. The list of clients included WTAE, KDKA, WWSW, WDUQ, WQED, WAMO, KQV, WEEP Westinghouse, US Steel, Alcoa, Heinz, Dravo, Children's Hospital, Heinz Hall, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Benedum Center, University of Pittsburgh, Saint Vincent's College, Point Park University, Audiomation Studios, Van Gelder Studios and Unitel Mobile Video.In the mid 1980’s, Heid Pro Audio designed and installed the sound system for Pittsburgh's number one showcase club, "Graffiti". Adding to that were installations in the regions premium jazz clubs such as Dizzy's, Club Cafe, and The Balcony. Additionally, large installations were designed and installed for the Kuntu Repertory Theater in University of Pittsburgh's Alumni Hall and Dowe’s on 9th jazz club.

George was contacted by the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in 1985 to specify and install a complete recording system for taping their music concerts. At that time Mr. Heid was also hired as their chief recording engineer and recorded over 100 concert dates from 1986 to 1994.​Heid Productions record label, Corona Music, has released recordings and CD's of Dave and Maureen Budway, The Balcony Big Band, Billy Price, Modern Times, Max Leake, Sandy Staley, Roger Humphries, Dwayne Dolphin, Elevations, The Blues Orphans and Charlie G. Sanders.George Heid now lives in Aspinwall and operates a full service recording studio there.

Thomas WendtVice President

Thomas Wendt has been playing the drums professionally since the age of 14. A graduate of The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he has studied with master drummers Roger Humphries, Joe Harris, and Kenny Washington. Thomas maintains a busy freelancing schedule with Pittsburgh’s top jazz artists such as Dwayne Dolphin, Jimmy Ponder, Joe Negri, Sean Jones, Dave & Maureen Budway, Kenia, the Latin jazz group, Salsamba, and the newly re-formed Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. He has also played with many visiting international artists like David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Byrd, James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Monty Alexander, Curtis Lundy, Alan Broadbent, and Javon Jackson.​In 2008, Thomas played on the Emmy Award winning soundtrack for the PBS documentary, “Fly Boys” and in 2010 he recorded an album featuring trombonists Jay Ashby and Steve Davis. Thomas has also recorded albums with Gene Ludwig, Sandy Staley, Salsamba, David and Maureen Budway, and Joe Negri. Recently, he appeared at The 2012 Litchfield Jazz Festival with jazz legend Hubert Laws. Since 1998 he has been on the faculty at the Afro-American Music Institute in Homewood.

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John E. TrabuccoTreasurer​

​Mr. Trabucco is a retired business executive. Over a forty-plus year career he held various positions with a large, regional, family-owned operating company and most recently was the Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of that operating company; the President of the family’s Family Office and a Trustee of the family’s foundation. In these capacities he was primarily responsible for the family’s legal, tax, investment and estate planning functions, including the investment of a very large and well-diversified investment limited partnership.​Mr. Trabucco is a CPA, an attorney, and a Chartered Financial Analyst.

George Heid III

George has been playing the drums professionally since the age of 16 and has been composing his own music since the age of 8. A graduate of The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, he has studied with master drummers Roger Humphries, Kenny Washington and John Riley. George works often with some of Pittsburgh’s top jazz artists such as Benny Benack III, Brett Williams, Dwayne Dolphin, Bill Heid, Daniel May, Clifford Barnes, Paul Thompson, Jeff Grubbs, Tony DePaolis, Kenia, Antonio Croes and many more. George has also played or toured with many international artists like Henry "The Skipper" Franklin, Sean Jones, Warren Wolf, Ron Blake, David Budway, Javon Jackson, Ralph Lalama and Steve Shehan.